You’ve made it through the dregs of winter. But even at this point in the year, there’s no guarantee that persistent warmth is on the horizon. You need something to keep you warm: fabulous nerds sharing their passions with you over pints of beer. Be there AND be square!

When: Wednesday, March 8, 2017 (show @ 8pm)
Where: The Needle Vinyl Tavern (10524 Jasper Avenue)
Tickets — on sale now at YegLive.ca
$20 in advance SOLD OUT!
$10 peanut gallery tickets
[Must be 18 years or older]

Our line-up of talks includes:

Spewing Pixie Dust- A Disney Nerd’s view on that Disney Magic
Michelle Weinhandl

Disney is large. From movies to theme parks, and education to conservation. Disney does it all! But it’s the little things that give Disney the magic touch. How did Walt become a theme park creator? Do you know that Disney diverted 49% of theme park waste from landfills in 2015? Have you ever found a hidden Mickey? Do you know why Space Mountain is located where it is? And why are the cast members so damn happy ALL THE TIME? Come and get covered in a whole lot of pixie dust as you learn about one of the most magical places on Earth.

Michelle has been a rabid fan of all things Disney since she was very young. In 2002, she was hired to work with Disney Cruise Line, on the Disney Wonder, which only fed her addiction. In addition to planning her next trip to see The Mouse, you can find her mentoring School Safety Patrollers, making crafty things, and hanging out with her Vulcan-like husband and Tigger-like son. You may also recognize her from such places as TELUS World of Science, and wherever cats can be found.

Anti-aging drugs: live long and prosper!
Basil Hubbard

Why do we age? Can we control aging to live healthier, longer lives? What exactly is aging? This talk will go beyond your grandma’s anti-wrinkle creams and internet miracles to examine the real science behind aging and longevity. With due references to history and pop culture, you’ll hear about the genes that control the aging process, and recently discovered drugs that can target these pathways. The potential for human lifespan extension will also be discussed, as well as the first official clinical trial for an anti-aging drug, which is currently underway.

Dr. Basil Hubbard is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pharmacology at the University of Alberta and Canada Research Chair in the Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology of aging. He pursued his postdoctoral research at Harvard University on gene editing, and his graduate work at Harvard Medical School on longevity genes. As an undergrad, he had the opportunity to work at NASA and watch the launch of MER-B in person!

You see a dumpster fire, we see sunshine: Why journalism’s future is brighter than you think
Mack Male & Karen Unland

You’ve heard the doom and gloom, and honestly, you’re not wrong — journalism as it has been practiced and funded is in trouble, at a time when it is needed more than ever. But, wow, we have such an opportunity to create a better, brighter future for journalism, grounded in curiosity and service to the community, paid for in creative ways, and building on the experience of smart and dedicated people around the world. It won’t be easy, but how many worthwhile things are? So ditch your sadface and get on board with Mack and Karen as we delve into where our journo-nerdity came from and what we’re doing with it.

Mack is the co-founder of Taproot Edmonton. He’s a software developer, blogger, and Edmonton geek who has long been interested in the combination of technology and local journalism. He was one of the first 1,000 people in the world to join Twitter, helped establish the #yeg hashtag, and has been an active member of the local open data community. Mack is an active volunteer, serving on the Edmonton Food Council, Edmonton Heritage Council, and Downtown Vibrancy Task Force, among other organizations. You can find him as mastermaq on your favorite social media service.

Karen is the co-founder of Taproot Edmonton. She worked at the Edmonton Journal for 14 years as a reporter and various flavours of editor, including the editor in charge of edmontonjournal.com, before quitting in 2011 to consult, teach, and embark on adventures in entrepreneurial journalism. She co-founded Capital Ideas, a community of business owners helping business owners by sharing what they know, and she pays close attention to the city’s bloggers and podcasters through Seen and Heard in Edmonton. She was not one of the first 1,000 people on Twitter, but she sure as heck followed @mastermaq within minutes of joining.